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Transforming end of life care in acute hospitals - 'How to' guide

16 December 2015

NHS England's first strategy for end of life care in England,
published in 2008, has succeeded in reversing the trend of
increasing the proportion of deaths taking place in hospital.
Although that significant achievement must be appreciated, the
reality is that many people will continue to die in hospitals,
sometimes by their own choice, sometimes by necessity of the
circumstances leading up to their death. As importantly many people
will need to spend a proportion of their last years, months, and
weeks of life in hospital because of care and treatment that they
need, and wish, to receive. We owe it to them and those important
to them, to make that experience as good as we possibly can whilst
they are there.

This revised and updated version of the Transforming end of life
care in acute hospitals: The route to success 'how to' guide,
published December 2015, marks another significant milestone to
improve the quality and experience of care at end of life for
patients and their families. Commissioned by NHS England, the
publication offers practical advice and support for frontline
clinicians and leaders for the work required to transform end of
life care in acute hospitals.

Over 80 acute hospitals across NHS England are already
voluntarily working with the Sustainable Improvement Team, NHS
England, using the tools, models and approaches set out in this
publication to deliver improvements in services locally. If
you are not already signed up to this national programme of work
known commonly as the ' Transform Programme' for acute hospitals or
would like to find out more, please contact Debbie Barnhurst at debbie.barnhurst@nhsiq.nhs.uk

The guide can be downloaded in full (see below) or individual
sections: